The promise of stem cell research is two-fold. On one hand, stem cell replacement therapies may provide cures for diverse group of disorders, including cancer, diabetes, and traumatic injury. On the other hand, the identification of cancer cells with self-renewing properties that promote tumor growth and evade conventional anti-cancer therapies may lead to the development of potent new approaches to cancer treatment. Substantial progress has been made in the development of in vitro technologies that allow stem cells grow in culture and differentiate into specific cell types. Far less progress has been made in identifying stem cells in situ and their mechanisms of regulation in functioning adult tissues.

Our goal is to understand the mechanisms that control epithelial stem cell function in vivo. Since identifying novel signals that regulate stem cell function is technically challenging in mammalian tissues, we are focusing on Drosophila ovarian Follicular epithelium Stem Cells (FSCs) as a model system for this analysis. In this system, epithelial stem cells can be visualized directly in vivo. Moreover, genetic mutational analysis allows us to pinpoint functional roles for specific genes in the cellular events required for stem cell commitment and self-renewal. The striking conservation of stem cell control signals in mammals and flies suggests that novel stem cell regulatory mechanisms identified in the fly system will provide insight into epithelial stem cell control in normal mammalian tissue and in cancer.

Disclaimer: Temple University Health System (TUHS) neither provides nor controls the provision of health care. All health care is provided by its member organizations or independent health care providers affiliated with TUHS member organizations. Each TUHS member organization is owned and operated pursuant to its governing documents. Temple Health refers to the health, education and research activities carried out by the affiliates of Temple University Health System and by Temple University School of Medicine.